PROFESSOR  F.  M.  HEiCHELHEIM 
OFFICE   A202 
UNIVERSITY   COLLEGE 
UNIVERSITY   OF  TORONTO 
TORONTO   5  (ONTARIO,  CANADA) 


The  PARABLES 


'"I  .  .  .  went  and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth.'" 

[Page  64.] 


EDITED    11V 

LYMAN    ABBOTT,    D.D. 


ILLUSTRATIONS     BY     ARTHUR     E.     BECHER 
DECORATIONS     BV     ARTHUR     JACOBSON 


D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 
NEW    YORK 

1907 


COPYRIGHT,  1907,  BY 
D.   APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 


1'itblixJieil  Ortoltrr.  1907 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  SOWER    

THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN 
THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 
THE  LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 
THE  WEDDING  GUESTS       .... 
THE  WISE  AND  THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS   . 

THE  TALENTS 

THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN        .... 

THE  PRODIGAL  SON 

DIVES  AND  LAZARUS 

THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN 
THE  HOUSE  UPON  THE  SANDS  . 
THE  HUSBANDMAN  AND  THE  VINEYARD 
THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS 


PAGE 

ix 


7 
15 

25 
37 
47 
55 
67 
73 
87 
97 
103 
109 

"7 


CONTENTS 

THE  SEED  AND  THE  HARVEST  . 

THE  FOOL  AND  HIS  GOODS 

WHEN  THE  LORD  COMETH 

THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD    . 

THE  UNWILLING  GUESTS    . 

THE  UNJUST  STEWARD 

THE  UNJUST  JUDGE 

THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD 

THE  LOST  SHEEP 

THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD 

THE  FIG  TREE 


PAGE 
129 

133 

'39 

145 
153 

161 

169 

i75 

179 

185 
189 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING 
PAGE 


"1   .   .   .  went   and   hid   thy  talent   in   the   earth'" 

Frontispiece 

'Some  fell  upon  stony  places  .  .  .  and  some  fell 
among  thorns  .  .  .  but  others  fell  into  good 
ground" 4 

'Five  of  them  were  wise  and  five  were  foolish"  50 
"I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father'"  ...  78 
"I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are'"  100 

'And  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came, 
and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that 
house;  and  it  fell" 106 

"Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me'" 124 

"I   have   found   my   sheep   which   was   lost'"  .      .182 


B 
i 


g 


INTRODUCTION 

BY 
LYMAN   ABBOTT 


INTRODUCTION 

BY  LYMAN  ABBOTT 

JESUS  at  the  preaching  of  his  first  sermon 
at  Nazareth  was  assailed  by  a  mob  from 
which  he  escaped  with  his  life  only  by  that 
supreme  dignity  before  which  the  passions  of 
men  were  calmed  and  the  curiosity  of  men 
was  awed.  It  was  the  only  time  he  was 
threatened  with  mob  violence  in  Galilee,  where 
in  his  subsequent  ministry  he  appears  to  have 
been  very  popular.  Great  crowds,  we  are  told, 
followed  him  wherever  he  went.  To  under- 
stand this  mob  is  to  get  the  key  to  his  use 
of  parables;  for  this  purpose  it  is  necessary  to 
know  something  of  the  Jewish  history  and  the 
Jewish  expectation. 

The  Jews  called  themselves  a  "peculiar 
people."  One  of  their  peculiarities  was  that 
they  looked  forward  not  backward  for  their 


:mtm 


INTRODUCTION 

golden   age.      Their    prophets   told   them   that 

the  time  was  coming  when  they  would  be  suc- 

:l 

coured  from  their  humiliation  and  come  into  a 
period  of  great  wealth  and  dignity :  Gentiles 
should  come  to  their  light  and  kings  to  the 
brightness  of  their  rising ;  wealth  should  no 
longer  be  accumulated  in  the  hands  of  a  few, 
every  man  should  sit  under  his  own  vine  and  fig 
tree;  violence  and  wasting  should  be  no  more 
known,  no  one  should  molest  or  make  afraid ; 
war  should  cease,  the  implements  of  war  should 
be  turned  into  implements  of  agriculture,  and 

. 

the  garments  rolled  in  the  blood  of  the  warrior 

;.'  ; 

should  be  but  fuel  for  the  fire ;  education  and 
religion  should  be  universal,  all  men  should  know 

Jehovah  to  be  God,  and  law  should  be  based 

• 

upon  the  principles  of  the  Hebraic  moral  code. 
Out  of  these  prophecies  popular  prejudice  had 
evolved  an  expectation  which,  however  incred- 
ible it  may  seem  to  us  now,  was  universally 
entertained  by  the  Jews  in  the  First  Century 

of  the  Christian  era.     They  believed  that  the 

J 

succession  of  world  Empires — Babylonian,  Per- 


-; 


sian,    Macedonian,    Roman — would    be     suc- 


•;.  ' 

INTRODUCTION 

ceeded  by  a  Hebrew  world  Empire ;  that  Jeru- 
salem would  become  the  world's  capital,  and 

'0. 

the  Jewish  Nation  the  dominant  world  power. 

This  revolution  they  believed  would  be  accom- 

?s 

plished  by  a  King  divinely  appointed  and  di- 

Pl 
vinely  sustained  and  reinforced — an  Anointed 

of  Jehovah. 

Jesus   had   cast  the  corrupt   traders  out   of 

5 
the    Temple.     The  fame   of    his    exploit    had 

preceded  him  to  his  country  home.  The 
simple-hearted  peasantry  were  proud  of  their 
rural  Rabbi  and  his  courage  in  defying  the 
ecclesiastical  ring  at  the  metropolis.  The 
leaders  of  the  Synagogue  invited  him  to  speak. 
The  people  were  all  eager  to  listen.  "  The  eyes 
of  all  that  were  in  the  Synagogue  were  fastened 
on  him "  and  they  all  wondered  at  the  ease 
and  grace  of  this  untutored  son  of  the  car- 
penter whom  they  had  known  so  long  and  yet 
comprehended  so  little.  But  when  he  attacked, 
though  with  great  skill,  their  orthodox  doc- 
trine of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  all  their  Jewish 
prejudices  were  aroused  against  him.  He  re- 
called their  own  history  to  them.  He  reminded 


INTRODUCTION 


them  that  Jehovah  had  selected  a  Syrian  leper 
to  be  healed  and  to  a  Sidonian  woman  had 
given  back  her  son.  Their  own  history  showed 
that  He  was  not  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  only 
but  the  God  of  the  Gentiles  also ;  and  the  King- 
dom which  their  prophets  foretold  was  not  a 
Hebrew  Kingdom  only  but  a  world  Kingdom. 
"And  all  they  in  the  Synagogue"  says  the 
sacred  historian,  "  when  they  heard  these  things, 
were  filled  with  wrath,  and  rose  up  and  thrust  him 
out  of  the  city,  and  led  him  unto  the  brow  of  the 


hill  whereon  their  city  was  built,  that  they  might 
cast  him  down  headlong,  but  he  passing  through 
the  midst  of  them  went  his  way."  Ever  after 
Jesus  spoke  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  parables 
that  "  seeing  they  might  see  and  not  perceive." 

He  veiled   the  truth  which  unveiled  had  been 
N 

rejected  with  such  wrath,  and  he  did  so  that 

they  might  listen  to  him  without  perceiving  the 
truth  to  which  they  would  refuse  to  listen  if  they 
did  perceive  it,  and  that  so  he  might  conduct 
them  to  his  predetermined  destination  while  they 
did  not  even  know  that  they  were  on  the  jour- 
ney. More  than  one  striking  illustration  of  this 


INTRODUCTION 

his  use  of  parables  is  afforded  by  incidents  in 
his  ministry.  Thus,  when  a  theologian  wishing 
to  justify  himself,  asked  Who  is  my  neighbour  ? 
Jesus  did  not  directly  reply.  If  he  had  said, 
The  Samaritan  who  lives  just  across  the  border, 
this  catholic  doctrine  would  have  been  con- 
temptuously rejected.  Instead,  he  told  the  story 
of  a  man  who  fell  among  thieves  and  was 
wounded  and  left  half  dead  by  the  roadside; 
and  a  priest  and  a  Levite  came  by  and  left  him 
uncared  for,  but  a  Samaritan  coming  by  went 
to  the  wounded  traveller's  succour,  and  bound  up 
his  wounds  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast  and 
took  him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him.  Then 
he  asked  the  theologian  which  was  neighbour  to 
the  robbed  traveller — the  priest,  the  Levite  or 
the  Samaritan.  There  was  but  one  answer  pos- 
sible and  it  was  given;  and  ever  since  wher- 
ever the  story  of  the  Gospel  has  been  told  the 
Samaritan  has  been  known  in  literature  as  "  The 
Good  Samaritan." 

There  is  nothing  more  difficult  in  teaching 
than  to  change  the  point  of  view  of  a  people. 
Argument  may  sometimes  convince  of  a  special 


INTRODUCTION 

error  or  carry  conviction  of  a  special  truth. 
But  to  induce  one  who  all  his  life  has  been 
accustomed  to  one  aspect  of  a  custom  or  an 
institution  to  look  at  another  aspect  is  always 
extremely  difficult.  For  this  purpose  fiction  is 
admirably  adapted.  For  by  fiction  the  reader 
or  hearer  is  insensibly  put  in  possession  of  the 
new  point  of  view ;  he  sees  it,  so  to  speak,  with- 
out looking  at  it  and  without  at  all  looking  for  it. 
Thousands  of  readers  who  would  never  have 
read  a  serious  argument  against  war,  or  have 
gone  to  a  peace  meeting  to  listen  to  one,  have 
read  Zola's  "  Le  Debacle"  or  Tolstoy's 
"  Peace  and  War "  and  have  seen  shame  and 
cruelty  where  before  they  only  saw  glory  and 
heroism. 

The  object  of  the  parables  then  was  to  change 
the  Jewish  point  of  view  concerning  the  King- 
dom of  God.  And  yet,  though  the  disciples  of 
Jesus  have  been  reading  the  parables  for  over 
eighteen  centuries,  it  is  extraordinary  how  slow 
even  his  own  followers  have  been  to  get  the  point 
of  view  which  he  sought  to  give  to  them.  In 
spite  of  all  that  he  could  say  we  are  told  that 


•:•-. 


INTRODUCTION 

his  disciples  believed  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 
would  immediately  appear.  When  he  went  up 
to  Jerusalem  for  the  last  time  they  anticipated 
his  coronation  as  King  of  the  new  Kingdom ; 
hailed  him  with  Hosannas  as  the  Coming  One ; 
quarrelled  among  themselves  as  to  who  should 
have  the  higher  offices  ;  and  two  of  them,  stealing 
a  march  upon  the  rest,  came  with  their  mother 
to  ask  for  a  seat,  one  on  his  right  hand  and 
the  other  on  his  left.  When  he  died  they  gave 
up  their  hope  that  he  was  the  Messiah ;  when 
he  rose  from  the  dead  their  hopes  rose,  too ;  but 
their  hope  was  that  he  would  come  presently  in 
clouds  and  power  and  great  glory  with  his  holy 
angels  to  establish  a  world  kingdom  and  place 
his  disciples  at  its  head.  When  this  coming 
was  delayed  some  gave  up  their  faith  :  Where, 
they  said,  is  the  promise  of  his  coming?  All 
things  continue  as  they  were.  Others  retained 
their  expectation  but  changed  their  conception  of 
the  new  Kingdom,  hoping  for  its  realization  in 
the  conversion  of  Rome  from  a  pagan  to  a 
Christian  power ;  others  believed  that  the  Church 
was  the  Kingdom  and  the  domination  of  the 


INTRODUCTION 

world  by  the  Church  would  bring  in  the  an- 
ticipated millennium ;  others  abandoned  all  hope 
of  a  Kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth,  substituted 
for  it  a  celestial  Kingdom  beyond  the  skies,  and 
regarded  this  life  as  only  a  school  to  prepare 
for  the  life  to  come  or  a  probation  to  determine 
who  were  fitted  for  that  life. 

Yet  all  the  time  the  Kingdom  of  God  was 
growing  up  in  the  world  gradually,  secretly,  in- 
termixed with  other  and  evil  growths  as  the 
Master  had  prophesied  it  would.  Slavery  was 
abolished ;  autocracy  was  first  mitigated,  then 
overthrown  ;  sensuality  and  self-indulgence  were 
brought  under  control ;  the  horrors  of  war  were 
alleviated,  private  war  abolished,  and  gradual 
preparations  made  for  peaceful  arbitrament ; 
schools  were  multiplied  and  education  made 
general  if  not  universal ;  the  pagan  conception 
of  marriage  as  a  purely  commercial  contract 
gave  place  to  a  conception  of  it  as  a  divinely 
appointed  order ;  the  burdens  of  poverty  were 
lightened  by  charity  and  the  problem  how  to 
abolish  it  altogether  was  seriously  taken  up ;  the 
sick,  the  lame,  the  halt,  the  blind,  the  insane 


. 


INTRODUCTION 


were  taken  care  of;  the  Church  became  not 
merely  an  instrument  to  prepare  men  for  heaven 
but  also  a  school  to  teach  men  how  to  live  upon 
the  earth.  At  length  we  are  coming  gradually 

to  believe  as  we  pray  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 

. 
is  to  come  and  the  will  of  God  is  to  be  done  on 

the  earth  as  in  heaven ;  our  religion  is  becoming 
more  sociological  and  less  theological,  more  a 
rational  preparation  to  live  nobly  here,  less  a 
magical  preparation  for  an  unknown  life  here- 
after, more  practical,  less  mystical,  more  a  real- 
isation of  brotherhood,  less  an  anticipation  of 
sainthood.  The  parables  are  largely  a  pro- 
phetic forecast  of  this  growth  of  nineteen  cen- 
turies, this  moral  and  spiritual  development  under 
the  teachings  and  influence  of  Jesus  Christ.  For 
the  Kingdom  of  God  of  the  parables  is  nothing 
other  than  Christendom,  and  the  history  of 
Christendom  affords  the  true  interpretation  of 
the  parables. 

The  Kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand ;  it  is  here ; 
it  is  a  realised  fact ;  it  is,  says  Paul,  "  righteousness, 
and  peace  and  joy  in  a  holy  spirit,"  that  is,  in  a 
spirit  consecrated  to  and  in  companionship  with 


INTRODUCTION 

God.  Wherever  any  one  is  conforming  or  en- 
deavouring to  conform  his  life  to  a  divine  standard, 
is  living  or  is  endeavouring  to  live  in  peace  and 
goodwill  with  his  neighbour,  and  has  in  himself 
and  in  his  fellowship  with  the  Father  the  foun- 
tain of  gladness,  there  is  the  Kingdom  of  God.  It 
is  in  the  spirit  of  righteousness  which  abolished 
slavery,  of  peace  which  established  the  Hague 
Tribunal,  of  joy  which  makes  Christmas  a  glad- 
some festival.  It  is  the  "  square  deal "  in  politics 

and  business,  goodwill  in  hospital  and  asylum, 
if 

joy  in  home  and  church.  It  is  doing  justly, 
8 

loving  mercy  and  walking   humbly  with  God. 

It  is  seen  wherever  service  and  piety  are  seen 
H 

walking  and  working  together. 

The  children  of  this  kingdom  are  seeds. 
They  propagate  the  kingdom  by  spiritually  re- 
producing themselves  in  the  lives  of  others. 
Some  seeds  are  planted  by  hand  in  prepared 
beds;  but  more  by  the  winds  in  unexpected 
places.  Some  minister  to  life  by  deliberate 

labours  in  Church  and  Sunday  School ;  others  not 

*y 

less  effectually  by  simply  living  righteously,  peace- 
fully, joyfully.  The  child  of  the  kingdom  is  a 


• 


lamp ;  he  need  not  flash ;  he  need  only  let  his 
light  shine.  The  children  of  the  kingdom  of 
evil  are  also  seeds ;  and  they  also  propagate. 
For  every  one  is  by  his  unconscious  influence  re- 
producing in  the  lives  of  others  courage  or 
cowardice,  candour  or  deceit,  justice  or  oppres- 
sion, service  or  self-seeking,  piety  or  irreverence. 
We  cannot  separate  ourselves  from  evil  influ- 
ences ;  we  cannot  keep  our  children  from  evil 
influences.  The  tares  must  grow  with  the 
wheat,  the  evil  with  the  good,  the  children 
of  light  with  the  children  of  darkness.  It 
always  has  been  so,  and  it  always  will  be  so. 
Is  the  world  growing  better  or  worse?  Both 
better  and  worse.  Delirium  tremens  comes  in 
with  the  invention  of  distilled  liquors ;  forgery 
with  penmanship ;  defalcation  with  a  credit 
system ;  the  demagogue  with  democracy ;  the 
corrupt  ecclesiastic  with  the  growth  in  power 
of  the  Church. 

This  kingdom  does  not  grow  up  sponta- 
neously. Neither  is  it  brought  to  the  earth  by 
the  King  coming  in  clouds  and  power  and  great 
glory  to  establish  it.  It  is  like  a  vineyard,  the 


INTRODUCTION 

fruitfulness  of  which  depends  on  those  who  culti- 
vate it ;  like  an  estate  whose  wellbeing  depends 
on  those  who  administer  it.  The  call  to  follow 
Christ  is  a  call  to  go  to  work  in  his  vineyard, 
to  administer  faithfully  his  affairs.  To  do  this  re- 
quires labour,  often  self-sacrificing  labour.  Many 
a  hearer  looking  forward  in  anticipation  to  a 
Kingdom  of  Heaven  beyond  the  clouds  says, 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God  "  ;  but  when  they  learn  that  the 
Kingdom  of  God  means  meekness  and  courage 
and  peaceableness  and  pureness  of  heart  here 
on  the  earth,  they  excuse  themselves.  The 
Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  treasure  hid  in  a 
field  or  a  pearl  of  great  price.  Yes !  we  would 
like  it  very  much ;  but  not  if  we  must  sell  all 
that  we  have  to  possess  it.  The  price  that  John 
Howard  paid,  immuring  himself  in  the  prisons 
of  Europe,  that  David  Livingston  paid  exiling 
himself  in  the  wilds  of  Africa,  that  Dr.  Grenfell 
pays  practising  among  the  ice  fields  of  Labrador, 
seems  too  great  a  price  to  many.  Not  all  men 
are  called  on  to  pay  this  price,  for  not  all  men  are 
called  to  this  service.  But  all  men  are  called  to 


INTRODUCTION 
i  i 

some  service,  and  none  can  do  the  service  well 
and  joyously  who  are  not  willing  to  pay  what- 
ever price  the  appointed  service  requires. 

There  is  not  in  this  service  any  question  of 
wages.  It  is  not  and  cannot  be  rendered  for 
wages.  The  only  possible  service  in  the  King- 
dom of  God  is  service  for  love.  And  he  who 
enters  late  and  serves  but  the  last  hour  or  two 
may  get  the  same  seeming  wage  as  he  who  has 
borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day.  Wages  ? 
In  the  Kingdom  of  God  the  wages  may  be  pov- 
erty not  wealth,  disgrace  not  glory.  Wages? 
Tennyson  has  described  the  wages  paid  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God  in  contrast  with  those  paid  in 
the  kingdoms  of  the  earth : 

Glory  of  warrior,  glory  of  orator,  glory  of  song, 

Paid  with  a  voice  flying  by  to  be  lost  on  an  endless 

sea — 
Glory   of   Virtue,    to   fight,    to  struggle,    to   right   the 

wrong — - 
Nay,  but  she  aimed  not  at  glory,  no  lover  of  glory 

she : 
Give  her  the  glory  of  going  on,  and  still  to  be. 

What  is  the  nature  of  the  service  to  be  ren- 
dered ?  What  great  achievement  summons  the 


. :     •••" -;;•):   ; 

'.,  ?^-'\:  •-.  >,  -i   v>-,-^? 

INTRODUCTION 

child  of  the  kingdom  ?  What  mystic  experience 
is  demanded  of  him  ?  No  great  achievement,  no 

mystic  experience.     To  be  a  child  of  the  King- 

sf 
dom  is  to  do  with  our  life  what  the  Master  did 

with  his.     It  is  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the 

naked,  visit  the  sick  and  the  imprisoned,  comfort 

-, 

the  sorrowing,  teach  the  ignorant,  do  battle  to 
the  oppressor  and  corrupter  of  men,  and  to  lift 
up  those  that  have  fallen  into  temptation,  inspire 

them  with   hope,  and   set  them   on   their  way 

J 

again.  It  is  to  be  a  Good  Samaritan,  to  be 
a  faithful  steward.  No  greatness  of  wealth  or 
position  exempts ;  no  scantiness  of  wealth  or 
capacity  excuses.  If  one  has  ten  talents  they 
are  all  to  be  used  in  service ;  if  one  has  but  a 
single  talent  it  is  not  to  be  wrapped  in  a  napkin. 

. 

Pure  religion  and  undefiled  is  not  merely  to  keep 
oneself  unspotted  from  the  world ;  it  is  to  visit 

&5 

the  widow  and  the  fatherless  in  their  affliction 
and  to  keep  oneself  unspotted  from  the  world. 
It  is  to  use  wealth  in  service,  things  for  men. 
The  shrewd  but  unscrupulous  servant  uses  his 
lord's  money  to  make  friends  of  his  lord's 

H  . 

tenants :  it  is  shrewd  for  the  scrupulous  servant 


*1 

r-i  : 


INTRODUCTION 

MXUr* 

so  to  use  it,  since  that  money  has  been  intrusted 
to  him  by  his  Lord  for  that  very  purpose. 
One  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon ;  but,  as 
has  been  well  said,  he  can  serve  God  with 
mammon.  He  who  having  more  than  he  knows 
what  to  do  with  simply  lays  it  up  as  in  a 
granary,  may  be  rich  but  he  is  a  rich  fool. 
But  man's  material  needs  are  not  his  only 

?§  wp 

needs ;  they  are  not  his  chief  needs.  His  chief 
need  is  God.  To  go  seeking  to  save  that 

£j;  ?j$. 

which  is  lost,  to  bring  the  mislaid  soul  back  to 
its  true  place,  to  bring  the  wanderer  back  to  his 
true  fellowship  in  the  fold  of  God,  to  welcome 

£|  W: 

the  son   returning  at  the   same  time  to  himself 

-."":•• 

and  to  his  Father,  this  is  to  serve  God,  this  is 

iS"'1":'"  S-? 

to  build  up  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth. 
Whoever  has  come  into  the  kingdom  which  is 


righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  is  by  that  very 
fact  appointed  to  go  out  and  bring  others  in. 
"  Whoever  entereth  in  by  the  door  is  a  shep- 
herd of  the  sheep."  To  every  such  an  one 
some  heart  and  life  are  open ;  and  he  can  influ- 
ence some  whom  no  other  person  can  influence 
so  well.  To  this  every  follower  of  Christ  is 


I 


INTRODUCTION 

commanded  by  the  Master :  "  As  the  Father 
has  sent  me  even  so  send  I  you."  For  this  he  is 
equipped:  not  once  for  all  in  one  life  endow- 
ment, but  by  daily  life  with  and  in  the  Father. 
He  must  have  daily  grace  for  daily  needs ;  eat 
day  by  day  the  Bread  that  cometh  down  from 

heaven ;  have  not  merely  oil  in  his  lamp,  when 

H 

he  sets  out  to  meet  the  Bridegroom,  but  con- 
tinual supply  for  a  light  which  is  continually 
calling  for  supply. 

Who  is  in  this  Kingdom?  The  little  chil- 
dren, for  of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven; 
the  son  who  goes  when  summoned  to  his 
Father's  work ;  the  publican  who,  looking  on  a 
wicked  life  cries,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner" !  the  harlot  who,  scorned  of  men  but 
pitied  of  God,  finds  in  Christ's  words  a  new 
hope  born  within  her  and  goes  out  to  sin  no 
more.  But  not  the  proud  professor  of  religion 
who  thanks  God  that  he  is  not  as  other  men 
are,  and  thinks  he  needs  neither  mercy  for  the 
past  nor  newness  of  life  for  the  future,  because 
he  is  not  an  extortioner,  nor  unjust,  nor  an  adul- 
terer, and  fulfils  all  his  church  obligations. 


•i 


^M  ':.'..''.     H 

INTRODUCTION 

_ 

For  men  are  measured  not  by  what  they  have 

is 

not  done  but  by  what  they  have  done,  and  the 

useless  man  like  the  fruitless  tree  is  fit  only  to  be 

* 

cast  away.     But  men  are  also  measured  by  their 

B 
aspiration  not  by  their  achievement ;  and  he  who 

desires  righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  in  God, 
and  is  willing  to  give  all  he  possesses  to  secure 
for  himself  and  to  give  to  others  this  bestow- 

ment,  is  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  however  little 

i  i 

he  may  have  to  give. 

I   have  no  wish  to  substitute  my  words  for 

the  words  of  the  Master.     My  object  in  this 

, 

Introduction  is  to  give  the  thoughtful  reader  a 
clew  which  he  may  use  in  interpreting  for  him- 

t^i 

self  the  parables  which  are  in  this  volume  repro- 

$? 

duced.  The  history  of  Christendom  is  their 
best  interpreter.  In  the  light  of  that  interpreta- 
tion each  of  them  takes  on  a  large  significance. 

-". ;;  O  O  J'.;.:: 

The  Sower  is  no  longer  a  single  Apostle  to  the 
Gentiles  going  forth  into  the  pagan  world  with 
but  a  single  companion,  despised  by  the  Jews 
and  distrusted  by  the  Christian  Church  at  home. 
The  Sower  to-day  is  a  great  army  of  apostles 
teaching  in  every  land,  and  sowing  everywhere 


INTRODUCTION 
the  seeds  of  a  Christian  civilization — just  laws, 

•g? 

emancipated  labour,  organised  charity,  popular 
education,  an  ethical  religion,  faith  in  a  God  of 
infinite  compassion,  love  which  counts  all  men 
brethren,  and  hope  expecting  in  every  day  a 
better  to-morrow  and  the  best  of  all  in  the 
golden  days  beyond  the  grave.  The  leaven 
hidden  in  three  measures  of  meal  is  no  longer 
represented  by  a  single  agitator  haled  before 
the  courts  because  his  preaching  has  interfered 
with  the  sale  of  silver  shrines  for  a  heathen  god. 

£•?;  ^  • " , 

It  is  represented  by  the  long  process  of  agita- 
tion which  has  destroyed  slavery  and  set  labour 
free,  has  overthrown  the  autocracies  inherited 

^ 

by  Western  Europe  from  pagan  Rome,  and  is 
substituting  therefor  government  of  the  people, 
by  the  people,  and  for  the  people.  The  Good 
Samaritan  is  no  longer  a  single  lover  of  his  kind 
stopping  to  render  a  brief  service  to  his  un- 
fortunate fellow-man.  He  is  represented  in  in- 
numerable asylums,  hospitals  and  dispensaries, 
in  unpaid  medical  service  rendered  without 
stint,  in  organised  charity  for  the  lame,  the  halt, 
the  blind  of  body,  of  mind,  and  of  moral  nature. 


INTRODUCTION 
I  hear  the  clang  of  the  ambulance  bell  in  the 

n 

street:  it  is  the  Good  Samaritan  summoned  by 
telephone  and  hurrying  to  succour  some  wounded 
one,  and  every  carriage,  motor  or  electric  car, 
stops  or  turns  aside  to  let  him  pass.  There  are 
still  a  great  many  rich  fools  in  America  who 
lose  their  poor  lives  in  an  endeavour  to  gain 
the  whole  world ;  but  never  before  were  there 
so  many  faithful  stewards  who  are  exercising 
the  same  thought  power  on  the  problem,  How 
to  distribute  their  wealth  which  they  exercised 
upon  the  problem,  How  to  accumulate  it.  Nor 
do  we  need  to  wait  for  a  future  judgment  day 
to  see  all  nations  gathered  before  the  great 
Throne,  and  separated  one  from  another  as  the 

In 

shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats. 
The  separation  is  taking  place  before  our  eyes. 
We  can  see  it  if  we  will.  And  this  separation 
is  made  not  by  acceptance  or  rejection  of  creeds, 

Saw 

not  by  use  or  disuse  of  liturgies,  not  by  regard 
or  disregard  for  ecclesiastical  orders  and  organi- 
sations, but  by  the  question,  Who  of  us  is 
following  Him  who  said  of  Himself  that  He 
had  come  to  preach  Glad  Tidings  to  the  poor, 


INTRODUCTION 

to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  deliv- 
erance to  the  captives,  and  recovery  of  sight  to 
the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 
Those,  and  only  those,  who  feed  the  hungry, 
give  drink  to  the  thirsty,  clothe  the  naked,  are 
hospitable  to  the  stranger,  or  visit  the  sick  and 
the  imprisoned  are  in  the  Kingdom  of  God 
and  are  doing  the  work  of  the  King. 


THE  SOWER 

EHOLD,  a  sower 
went  forth  to 
sow.  And 
when  he 
sowed,  some  seeds  fell  by 
the  way-side,  and  the  fowls 
came  and  devoured  them 


up.  Some  fell  upon  stony 
places,  where  they  had 
not  much  earth;  and  forth- 
with they  sprung  up,  be- 
cause they  had  no  deep- 
ness of  earth.  And  when 
the  sun  was  up,  they  were 
scorched;  and  because  they 
had  no  root,  they  withered 
away.  And  some  fell 


"Some  fell   upon   stony  places    .    .    .    and  some  fell   among    thorns   .    . 
but  others  fell  into  good  ground." 


:;.•••••        '.'.-;.'.-:'..•  '•'••  '          -     -   '      "-     - 

-'xr-A.-.-^-i-.  -. 


among  thorns;  and  the 
thorns  sprung  up  and 
choked  them.  But  others 
fell  into  good  ground,  and 


.  i . 


THE  KINGDOM  OF 
HEAVEN 


MATT.  XIII.,  24-30 


; 


THE   KINGDOM   OF 

HEAVEN 


HE  kingdom  of 


heaven  is   lik- 


ened   unto    a 
man      which 


sowed    good    seed   in   his 
field.    But  while  men  slept, 


his  enemy  came  and  sowed 


•• 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN 


tares  among  the  wheat,  and 
went  his  way.  But  when 
the  blade  was  sprung  up, 
and  brought  forth  fruit, 
then  appeared  the  tares 
also.  So  the  servants  of 
the  household  came  and 
said  unto  him : 

Sir,  didst  not  thou  sow 


pp 

m 

1,1 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN 


From  whence  then  hath  it 
tares?" 

He  said  unto  them : 

"An  enemy  hath  done 
this." 

The  servants  said  unto 
him: 

"Wilt  thou  then  that 
we  go  and  gather  them 


I 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN 


But  he  said : 
"Nay;    lest,    while    ye 
gather    up    the    tares,    ye 


harvest:  and  in  the  time 
of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the 
reapers:  *  Gather  ye  to- 
gether first  the  tares,  and 


bind  them  in  bundles  to 
burn  them ;  but  gather  the 
wheat  into  my  barn/  * 


THE  LORD  AND  ' 


3  3§  I  ^SsS 


mmpm 

% , ;••- ,  • 


MATT.  XVIIL,  23-35 


THE  LORD  AND  THE 
SERVANTS 


HEREFORE    IS    the 

kingdom  of 
heaven  likened 
unto  a  certain 


king,  which  would  take 
account  of  his  servants. 
And  when  he  had  begun 


.   •'.:•- v-~v*'f^];:;~, •-:••-'  -••        •          -  -    -     .    .  : 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


to  reckon,  one  was  brought 
unto  him,  which  owed  him 
ten  thousand  talents.  But 
forasmuch  as  he  Had  not  to 
pay,  his  lord  commanded 
him  to  be  sold,  and  his 
wife  and  children,  and  a'll 
that  he  had,  and  pay- 
ment to  be  made.  The 
servant  therefore  fell  down, 

18 


. 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


and  worshipped  him,  say- 
ing: 

Lord,  have  patience 
with  me,  and  I  will  pay 
thee  all." 

Then  the  lord  of  that 
servant  was  moved  with 
compassion,  and  loosed 
him,  and  forgave  him  the 
debt. 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


But  the  same  servant 
went  out,  and  found  one  of 
his  fellow- servants,  which 
owed  him  an  hundred 


r,i 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


servants  saw  what  was 
done,  they  were  very  sorry, 
and  came  and  told  unto 
their  lord  all  that  was 
done.  Then  his  lord,  after 
that  he  had  called  him, 
said  unto  him: 

"O  thou  wicked  ser- 
vant, I  forgave  thee  all  that 
debt,  because  thou  de- 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


siredst  me.  Shouldest  not 
thou  also  have  had  com- 
passion on  thy  fellow-ser- 
vant, even  as  I  had  pity  on 
thee?" 

And  his  lord  was  wroth, 
and  delivered  him  to  the 
tormentors,  till  he  should 
pay  all  that  was  due  unto 
him. 


r  n 


THE  LORD  AND  THE  SERVANTS 


So  likewise  shall  my 
heavenly  Father  do  also 
unto  you,  if  ye  from  your 
hearts  forgive  not  every 
one  his  brother  their  tres- 


THE  LABOURERS  IN 
THE  VINEYARD 


THE    LABOURERS   IN   THE 
VINEYARD 

OR  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is 
like  unto  a 
man  that  is  an 
householder,  which  went 
out  early  in  the  morning  to 
hire  labourers  into  his  vine- 


i 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


£4* 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 

vineyard,   and    whatso- 
ever is  right   I   will   give 

»» 
you. 

And  they  went  their 
way. 

Again  he  went  out 
about  the  sixth  and  ninth 
hour,  and  did  likewise. 
And  about  the  eleventh 
hour  he  went  out,  and 


g 

! 


29 


1  m 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


found  others  standing  idle, 

and  saith  unto  them : 

'  Why  stand  ye  here  all 

the  day  idle?*' 

They  say  unto  him : 
"Because  no  man  hath 

hired  us." 

He  saith  unto  them : 
"Go   ye  also    into   the 

vineyard;   and  whatsoever 


30 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


is  right,  that  shall  ye  re- 
ceive." 

So  when  even  was 
come,  the  lord  of  the  vine- 
yard saith  unto  his  steward : 

"  Call  the  labourers,  and 
give  them  their  hire,  be- 
ginning from  the  last  unto 
the  first." 

And    when   they  came 


ms, 


mmzmmmmimmFymi- 


V 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


that  were  hired  about  the 
eleventh  hour,  they  re- 
ceived every  man  a  penny. 
But  when  the  first  came, 
they  supposed  that  they 
should  have  received  more; 
and  they  likewise  received 
every  man  a  penny.  And 
when  they  had  received  it, 
they  murmured  against  the 


32 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


goodman  of  the  house, 
saying : 

"These  last  have 
wrought  but  one  hour, 
and  thou  hast  made  them 
equal  unto  us,  which  have 
borne  the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day." 

But  he  answered  one  of 
them,  and  said: 


/! 
15 


33 


:;•/"  ;• 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


"Friend,  I  do  thee  no 
wrong:  didst  not  thou 
agree  with  me  for  a  penny? 
Take  that  thine  is,  and  go 
thy  way:  I  will  give  unto 
this  last  even  as  unto  thee. 
Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to 
do  what  I  will  with  mine 
own?  Is  thine  eye  evil, 
because  I  am  good?  So 


LABOURERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD 


the  last  shall  be  first,  and 
.  the  first  last :  for  many  be 
called,  but  few  chosen." 


THE  WEDDING  GUESTS 


MATT.  XXIL,  2-14 


THE  WEDDING  GUESTS 

HE  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like 
unto  a  certain 
king,  which 
made  a  marriage  for  his 
son,  and  sent  forth  his 
servants  to  call  them  that 


were  bidden  to  the  wed- 
ding: and  they  would  not 
come. 

Again,  he  sent    forth 
other  servants, 


ready:  come  unto  the  mar- 

•       » »» 

nage. 

But  they  made  light  of 
it,  and  went  their  ways, 
one  to  his  farm,  another  to 
his  merchandise.  And  the 
remnant  took  his  servants, 
and  entreated  them  spite- 
fully, and  slew  them. 

But  when  the  king  heard 


41 


thereof,  he  was  wroth:  and 
he  sent  forth  his  armies, 
and  destroyed  those  mur- 
derers, and  burned  up  their 
city.  Then  saith  he  to  his 
servants : 

'  The  wedding  is  ready, 
but  they  which  were  bid- 
den were  not  worthy.  Go 
ye  therefore  into  the  high- 


. 


ways,  and  as  many  as  ye 
shall  find,  bid  to  the  mar- 
riage." 

So  those  servants  went 
out  into  the  highways,  and 
gathered  together  all  as 
many  as  they  found,  both 
bad  and  good:  and  the 
wedding  was  furnished 
with  guests. 


And  when  the  king  came 
in  to  see  the  guests,  he 
saw  there  a  man  which 


•    .. 


THE  WISE  AND  THE 
FOOLISH  VIRGINS 


MATT,  xxv.,  1-12 


THE  WISE  AND  THE 
FOOLISH  VIRGINS 


HEN    shall    the 
kingdom    of 


heaven  be  lik- 
ened unto  ten 


virgins,  which  took  their 
lamps,  and  went  forth  to 
meet  the  bridegroom.  And 


ss&- 


THE  WISE  AND  THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS 

five  of  them  were  wise,  and 
five  were  foolish.  They 
that  were  foolish  took  their 
lamps,  and  took  no  oil  with 
them.  But  the  wise  took 
oil  in  their  vessels  with 
their  lamps.  While  the 
bridegroom  tarried,  they  all 
slumbered  and  slept.  And 
at  midnight  there  was  a 


'Five  of  them  were  wise  and   five  were  foolish." 


THE  WISE  AND  THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS 


cry  made:  "Behold,  the 
bridegroom  cometh;  go  ye 
out  to  meet  him." 

Then  all  those  virgins 
arose,  and  trimmed  their 
lamps.  And  the  foolish 
said  unto  the  wise: 

"Give  us  of  your  oil; 
for  our  lamps  are 


THE  WISE  AND  THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS 


But  the  wise  answered, 
saying :  "  Not  so ;  lest  there 
be  not  enough  for  us  and 
you:  but  go  ye  rather  to 
them  that  sell,  and  buy  for 
yourselves." 

And  while  they  went  to 
buy,  the  bridegroom  came ; 
and  they  that  were  ready 
went  in  with  him  to  the 


52 


THE  WISE  AND  THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS 


marriage:  and  the  door 

, 
was  shut. 


Afterward   came   also 
the  other  virgins,  saying : 

"  Lord,  Lord,  open  to 

»» 
us. 

But    he   answered    and 
said: 


MATT.  XXV.,  14-30 


OR  the  kingdom 
of    heaven    is 


as  a  man  trav- 
elling   into    a 


far  country,  who  called  his 
own  servants,  and  delivered 
unto  them  his  goods.  And 


unto  one  he  gave  five  tal- 
ents, to  another  two,  and  to 
another  one ;  to  every  man 
according  to  his  several 
ability ;  and  straightway 
took  his  journey. 

Then  he  that  had  re- 
ceived the  five  talents  went 
and  traded  with  the  same, 
and  made  them  other  five 


i 

I 


talents.  And  likewise  he 
that  had  received  two,  he 
also  gained  other  two.  But 
he  that  had  received  one 
went  and  digged  in  the 
earth,  and  hid  his  lord's 
money. 

After  a  long  time  the  lord 
of  those  servants  cometh, 
and  reckoneth  with  them. 

59 


ceived  five  talents 


"Lord,  thou  deliveredst 
unto  me  five  talents:  be- 
hold, I  have  gained  besides 
them  five  talents  more." 

His    lord    said    unto 


and  faithful  servant:    thou 
hast  been   faithful  over  a 


'Lord,  thou  deliveredst 
unto  me  two  talents;    be- 
hold   I    have    gained   two 
other  talents  besides  them." 
His  lord  said  unto  him : 
'Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant:   thou  hast 
been  faithful  over  a  few 
things,  I    will   make   thee 
ruler    over    many    things: 


62 


enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  lord." 

Then  he  which  had  re- 
ceived the  one  talent  came 
and  said: 

"  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that 
thou  art  an  hard  man,  reap- 
ing where  thou  hast  not 
sown,  and  gathering  where 
thou  hast  not  strawed: 


N 


THE  TALENTS 


where  I  have  not  strawed. 
Thou  oughtest  therefore  to 
have  put  my  money  to  the 
exchangers,  and  then  at 
my  coming  I  should  have 
received  mine  own  with 
usury.  Take  therefore  the 
talent  from  him,  and  give 
him  which  hath  ten 


I  --:-;   - 

f. 


one  that  hath  shall  be  given, 
and  he  shall  have  abun- 
dance: but  from  him  that 
hath  not  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  which  he 
hath.  And  cast  ye  the 
unprofitable  servant  into 
outer  darkness :  there  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing 


I 


@ 


THE 
GOOD  SAMARITAN 


THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN 


CERTAIN  man 
went  down 
from  Jerusa- 

,  lem  to  Jericho, 


and  fell  among  thieves, 
which  stripped  him  of  his 
raiment,  and  wounded  him. 


and  departed,  leaving  him 
half  dead.  And  by  chance 
there  came  down  a  certain 
priest  that  way :  and  when 
he  saw  him,  he  passed  by 
on  the  other  side.  And 
likewise  a  Levite,  when  he 
was  at  the  place,  came  and 
looked  on  him,  and  passed 
by  on  the  other  side. 


But  a  certain  Samari- 
tan, as  he  journeyed,  came 
where  he  was :  and  when 
he  saw  him,  he  had  com- 
passion on  him.  And  went 
to  him,  and  bound  up  his 
wounds,  pouring  in  oil  and 
wine,  and  set  him  on  his 
own  beast,  and  brought 
him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care 


•; 


« 


of  him.  And  on  the  mor- 
row, when  he  departed,  he 
took  out  two  pence,  and 
gave  them  to  the  host,  and 


whatsoever 
more 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON 


-  8MB 

&m 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON 


CERTAIN     man 
had  two  sons. 
And       the 
younger     of 
them  said  to  his  father: 

"Father,    give   me   the 
portion  of  goods  that  falleth 


m 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON 


all,  there  arose  a  mighty 
famine  in  that  land;  and 
he  began  to  be  in  want. 
And  he  went  and  joined 
himself  to  a  citizen  of  that 
country;  and  he  sent  him 
into  his  fields  to  feed  swine. 
And  he  would  fain  have 
filled  his  belly  with  the 
husks  that  the  swine  did 


77 


m 

I 
m 


eat :  and  no  man  gave  unto 
him. 

And  when  he  came  to 
himself,  he  said: 

"How  many  hired  ser- 
vants of  my  father's  have 
bread  enough,  and  to  spare, 
and  I  perish  with  hunger! 
I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
father,  and  will  say  unto 


will  arise  and  go  to  my  father.'" 


him,  '  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  Heaven,  and  before 
thee,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy 
son:  make  me  as  one  of 
thy  hired  servants.' ' 

And  he  arose,  and  came 
to  his  father.  But  when 
he  was  yet  a  great  way  off, 
his  father  saw  him,  and 


. 


had  compassion,  and  ran, 
and  fell  on  his  neck,  and 
kissed  him. 

And  the  son  said  unto 
him: 

"Father,  I  have 
against  Heaven,  and  in  thy 
sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy 


But  the  father  said  to 
his  servants : 

"Bring  forth  the  best 
robe,  and  put  it  on  him; 
and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand, 
and  shoes  on  his  feet.  And 
bring  hither  the  fatted  calf, 
and  kill  it;  and  let  us  eat, 
and  be  merry :  for  this,  my 
son,  was  dead,  and  is  alive 


81 


again;  he  was  lost,  and  is 
found." 

And  they  began  to  be 
merry. 

Now  his  elder  son  was 
in  the  field:  and  as  he 
came  and  drew  nigh  to  the 
house,  he  heard  music  and 
dancing.  And  he  called 
one  of  the  servants,  and 


asked    what    these    things 

meant. 

And  he  said  unto  him: 
'Thy  brother  is  come; 

and  thy  father  hath  killed 

the  fatted  calf,  because  he 

hath  received  him  safe  and 

sound." 

And  he  was  angry,  and 

would  not  go  in :  therefore 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON 


came  his  father  out,  and 
entreated  him. 

And  he  answering  said 
to  his  father: 

"Lo,  these  many  years 
do  I  serve  thee,  neither 
transgressed  I  at  any  time 
thy  commandment ;  and  yet 
thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid, 
that  I  might  make  merry 


84 


with  my  friends.  But  as 
soon  as  this  thy  son  was 
come,  which  hath  devoured 
thy  living  with  harlots, 
thou  hast  killed  for  him 
the  fatted  calf." 

And  he  said  unto  him : 
"  Son,  thou  art  ever  with 
me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine.     It  was    meet    that 


we  should  make  merry  and 
be  glad :  for  this  thy  brother 
was  dead,  and  is  alive  again ; 
and  was  lost,  and  is  found.' 


DIVES  AND  LAZARUS 


DIVES  AND   LAZARUS 


HERE  was  a  cer- 
tain rich  man, 
which  was 
clothed  in  pur- 


ple and  fine  linen,  and  fared 
sumptuously  every  day : 
And  there  was  a  certain 


beggar  named  Lazarus, 
which  was  laid  at  his  gate, 
full  of  sores,  and  desiring 
to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs 
which  fell  from  the  rich 
man's  table :  moreover  the 
dogs  came  and  licked  his 
sores. 

And   it   came  to 


. 

M^ 

"f>F 


was  carried  by  the  angels 
into  Abraham's  bosom. 
The  rich  man  also  died  and 
was  buried.  And  in  hell 
he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being 
in  torments,  and  seeth 
Abraham  afar  off,  and 
Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 
And  he  cried  and  said: 
"  Father  Abraham,  have 


mercy   on   me,    and   send 
Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip 
the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water, 
and  cool  my  tongue;  for  I 
am  tormented  in  this  flame." 
But  Abraham  said : 
"Son,    remember    that 


thou  in  thy  lifetime  re- 
ceivedst  thy  good  things, 
and  likewise  Lazarus  evil 


things:  but  now  he  is 
comforted,  and  thou  art 
tormented.  And  besides 
all  this,  between  us  and 
you  there  is  a  great  gulf 
fixed:  so  that  they  which 
would  pass  from  hence  to 
cannot 


Then  he  said: 

"I  pray  thee  therefore, 
father,  that  thou  wouldest 
send  him  to  my  father's 
house,  for  I  have  five 
brethren :  that  he  may  tes- 
tify unto  them,  lest  they 
also  come  into  this  place 
of  torment." 

Abraham  said  unto  him : 


'  They  have  Moses  and 
the  Prophets;  let  them 
hear  them." 

And  he  said : 

"  Nay,  father  Abraham : 
but  if  one  went  unto  them 
from  the  dead,  they  will 
repent." 

And  he  said  unto  him: 

"  If  they  hear  not  Moses 


•UB 


and  the  Prophets,  neither 
will  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  rose  from  the 
dead. 


.    - 

v^ 


THE  PHARISEE  AND 


3 


t 


LUKE  XVIH.,  10-14 


THE   PHARISEE  AND  THE 
PUBLICAN 

wo  men  went  up 
into  the  temple 
to  pray;  the 
one  a  Phari- 
see, and  the  other  a  pub- 
lican. 

The  Pharisee  stood  and 


B 

m 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN 


prayed  thus  with  him- 
self: 

"  God,  I  thank  thee,  that 
I  am  not  as  other  men  are, 
extortioners,  unjust,  adul- 
terers, or  even  as  this  pub- 
lican. I  fast  twice  in  the 
week,  I  give  tithes  of  all 
that  I  possess." 

And  the  publican,  stand- 


'"I  thank  thee  that  I   am  not  as  other  men   are.'' 


•I 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN 


ing  afar  off,  would  not  lift 
up  so  much  as  his  eyes  un- 
to heaven,  but  smote  upon 
his  breast,  saying: 

"God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner." 

1  tell  you,  this  man  went 
down  to  his  house  justified 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN 


himself  shall  be  abased 
and  he  that  humbleth  him 
self  shall  be  exalted. 


THE  HOUSE  UPON 
THE  SANDS 


THE  HOUSE  UPON  THE 
SANDS 


HEREFORE, 

soever  heareth 
these  sayings 
of  mine,  and 


doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him 


unto   a  wise  man,   which 
built  his  house  upon  a  rock. 


THE  HOUSE  UPON  THE  SANDS 


And  the  rain  descended, 
and  the  floods  came,  and 
the  winds  blew,  and  beat 
upon  that  house;  and  it 
fell  not :  for  it  was  founded 
upon  a  rock. 

And  every  one  that 
heareth  these  sayings  of 
mine,  and  doeth  them  not, 
shall  be  likened  unto  a  fool- 


"And  the  rain   descended,   and   the  floods   came,  and   the   winds    blew, 
and   beat  upon  that  house;  and  it  fell." 


THE  HOUSE  UPON  THE  SANDS 


ish  man,  which  built  his 
house  upon  the  sand.  And 
the  rain  descended,  and  the 
floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that 
house;  and  it  fell:  and 
great  was  the  fall  of  it. 


1 


THE  HUSBANDMEN 
AND  THE  VINEYARD 


THE  HUSBANDMEN  AND 
THE  VINEYARD 


CERTAIN  man 
planted  a  vine- 
yard, and  set 
an  hedge  about 
it,  and  digged  a  place  for 
the  winevat,  and  built  a 
tower,  and  let  it  out  to 


husbandmen,  and  went  into 
a  far  country. 

And  at  the  season  he 
sent  to  the  husbandmen  a 
servant,  that  he  might  re- 
ceive from  the  husbandmen 
of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard. 


•••I 


THE  HUSBANDMEN 


And  again  he  sent  unto 
them  another  servant  ;  and 
at  him  they  cast  stones,  and 
wounded  him  in  the  head, 
and  sent  him  away  shame- 
fully handled. 


other  :  and  him  they  killed, 
and  many  others;  beating 
some,  and  killin  some. 


Having  yet  therefore 
one  son,  his  well-beloved, 
he  sent  him  also  last  unto 
them,  saying: 

'  They  will  reverence 
my  son." 

But  those  husbandmen 
said  among  themselves: 

'This  is  the  heir; 
come,  let  us  kill  him,  and 


the    inheritance    shall    be 
ours." 

And  they  took  him,  and 
killed  him,  and  cast  him 
out  of  the  vineyard. 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE 
GOATS 


MATT.  XXV.,  31-46 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE 
GOATS 

the  Son 
man  shall 
come  in  his 
glory,  and  all 
the  holy  angels  with  him, 
then  shall  he  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  his  glory.  And 


119 


before  him  shall  be  gath- 
ered all  nations:  and  he 
shall  separate  them  one 
from  another,  as  a  shep- 
herd divideth  his  sheep 


"Come,  ye  blessed  or 
my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  For  I  was  an  hun- 
gered, and  ye  gave  me 
meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye 
gave  me  drink:  I  was  a 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS 


stranger,  and  ye  took  me 
in.  Naked,  and  ye  clothed 
me :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  vis- 
ited me:  I  was  in  prison, 
and  ye  came  unto  me." 

Then  shall  the  righteous 
answer  him,  saying : 

"Lord,  when  saw  we 
thee  an  hungered,  and  fed 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS 


thee   drink?     When    saw 
,  . 

we  thee   a   stranger,   and 


took  thee  in  ?  or  naked,  and 
clothed  thee?  Or  when 
saw  we  thee  sick  or  in 
prison,  and  came  unto 
thee?" 

And  the  King  shall  an- 
swer and  say  unto  them : 

'Verily  I  say  unto  you, 


Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 


these  my  brethren,  ye  have 


done  it  unto  me." 

Then  shall  he  say  also 
unto  them  on  the  left  hand : 

"Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and 


'Inasmuch   as  ye   have   done  it   unto   one   of  the   least   ot   these   my 
brethren,  ye   have   done  it   unto   me.'" 


no  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and 
ye  gave  me  no  drink.  I 
was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took 
me  not  in:  naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me  not:  sick,  and 
in  prison,  and  ye  visited 
me  not." 

Then  shall  they  also  an- 
swer him,  saying : 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS 


"Lord,  when  saw  we 
thee  an  hungered,  or 
athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or 
naked,  or  sick,  or  in  pris- 
on, and  did  not  minister 
unto  thee?" 

Then  shall  he  answer 
them,  saying: 

'Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS 


to  one  of  the  least  of  these, 
ye  did  it  not  to  me.** 

And  these  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment : 
but  the  righteous  into  life 
eternal. 


-  .. 


THE  SEED  AND  THE 
HARVEST 


THE  SEED  AND  THE 
HARVEST 


o  is  the  kingdom 
of  God,  as  if 
a  man  should 
cast  seed  into 


THE  SEED  AND  THE  HARVEST 


spring   and    grow   up,   he 
knoweth  not  how. 

For  the  earth  bringeth 
forth  fruit  of  herself;  first 
the  blade,  then  the  ear,  aft- 
er that  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear.  But  when  the  fruit  is 
brought  forth,  immediately 
he  putteth  in  the  sickle,  be- 
cause the  harvest  is  come. 


THE  FOOL  AND  HIS 
GOODS 


LUKE  XIL,  16-21 


THE  FOOL  AND  HIS 
GOODS 


HE   ground  of  a 
certain    rich 
man    brought 
forth   plenti- 
fully.     And    he    thought 
within  himself,  saying: 
"What  shall  I  do,  be- 


THE  FOOL  AND  HIS  GOODS 


cause  I  have  no  room  where 
to  bestow  my  fruits?'* 

And  he  said : 

"This  will  I  do:  I  will 
pull  down  my  barns,  and 
build  greater;  and  there 
will  I  bestow  all  my  fruits 
and  my  goods.  And  I  will 
say  to  my  soul :  '  Soul,  thou 


THE  FOOL  AND   HIS  GOODS 


for  many  years ;  take  thine 

ease,    eat,   drink,    and   be 

*  »» 
merry. 

But    God    said    unto 
him: 

Thou  fool,  this  night 
thy  soul  shall  be  required 


THE  FOOL  AND  HIS  GOODS 


So  is  he  that  layeth  up 
treasure  for  himself,  and  is 
not  rich  toward  God. 


WHEN  THE  LORD 
COMETH 


WHEN  THE  LORD 
COMETH 


ET  your  loins  be 
girded  about, 
and  your  lights 
burning.  And 


ye  yourselves  like  unto  men 
that  wait  for  their  lord, 
when  he  will  return  from 


WHEN  THE  LORD  COMETH 


the  wedding;  that,  when 
he  cometh  and  knocketh, 
they  may  open  unto  him 
immediately.  Blessed  are 
those  servants,  whom  the 
lord  when  he  cometh  shall 
find  watching :  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird 
himself,  and  make  them  to 
sit  down  to  meat,  and  will 


WHEN  THE  LORD  COMETH 


come  forth  and  serve  them. 
And  if  he  shall  come  in 
the  second  watch,  or  come 
in  the  third  watch,  and  find 
them  so,  blessed  are  those 
servants. 

And  this  know,  that  if 
the  goodman  of  the  house 
had  known  what  hour  the 
thief  would  come,  he  would 


mmmmmm®s 


H 


nave  watched,  and  not  have 
suffered  his  house  to  be 
broken  through.  Be  ye 
therefore  ready  also:  for 
the  Son  of  man  cometh  at 
an  hour  when  ye  think  not. 


THE  FAITHFUL 
STEWARD 


THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD 


HO  then  is  that 
W  faithful  and 
wise  steward, 
whom  his  lord 
shall  make  ruler  over  his 
household,  to  give  them 
their  portion  of  meat  in  due 


THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD 


146 


season?  Blessed  is  that  ser- 
vant, whom  his  lord  when 
he  cometh  shall  find  so  do- 
ing. Of  a  truth  I  say  unto 
you,  that  he  will  make  him 
ruler  over  all  that  he  hath. 
But  and  if  that  servant  say 
in  his  heart :  "My  lord  de- 
lay eth  his  coming;'*  and 
shall  begin  to  beat  the  men- 


THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD 


servants  and  maidens,  and 
to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be 
drunken;  the  lord  of  that 
servant  will  come  in  a  day 
when  he  looketh  not  for 
him,  and  at  an  hour  when 
he  is  not  aware,  and  will 


THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD 


And  that  servant,  which 
knew  his  lord's  will,  and 
prepared  not  himself, 
neither  did  according  to  his 
will,  shall  be  beaten  with 
many  stripes.  But  he  that 
knew  not,  and  did  commit 
things  worthy  of  stripes, 
shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  For  unto  whom- 


. 


THE  FAITHFUL  STEWARD 


soever  much  is  given,  of 
him  shall  be  much  required; 
and  to  whom  men  have 
committed  much,  of  him 
they  will  ask  the  more. 


THE  UNWILLING 
GUESTS 


LUKE  xiv.,  16-24 


•  •— -j,^^  r  r> --         ••       -  ,V"- •* "• 


THE  UNWILLING  GUESTS 

CERTAIN  man 
made  a  great 
supper,  and 
bade  many : 
and  sent  his  servant  at 
supper  time  to  say  to  them 
that  were  bidden : 


Come;  for  all  things 
are  now  ready." 

And  they  all  with  one 
consent  began  to  make  ex- 
cuse. The  first  said  unto 
him: 

I  have  bought  a  piece 
of  ground,  and  I  must  needs 
go  and  see  it :  I  pray  thee 
have  me  excused. 


And  another  said : 

"  I  have  bought  five  yoke 

of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove 

them :  I  pray  thee  have  me 

excused." 

And  another  said : 

"  I  have  married  a  wife, 

and   therefore    I    cannot 

come." 

So   that   servant    came, 


and  showed  his  lord  these 
things.  Then  the  master 
of  the  house,  being  angry, 
said  to  his  servant: 

"Go  out  quickly  into  the 
streets  and  lanes  of  the  city, 
and  bring  in  hither  the  poor, 
and  the  maimed,  and  the 
halt,  and  the  blind." 

And  the  servant  said: 


"  Lord,  it  is  done  as  thou 
hast  commanded,  and  yet 
there  is  room." 

And  the  lord  said  unto 
the  servant : 

"Go  out  into  the  high- 
ways and  hedges,  and  com- 
pel them  to  come  in,  that 
my  house  may  be  filled. 
For  I  say  unto  you,  That 


159 


m 


none  of  those  men  which 
were  bidden  shall  taste  of 
my  supper." 


THE  UNJUST 
STEWARD 


THE  UNJUST  STEWARD 

HERE  was  a  cer- 
tain rich  man 
which  had  a 
steward ;   and 
the    same    was    accused 
unto    him    that    he    had 
wasted   his    goods.      And 


stewardship 
mayest    be 
teward." 

steward 
himself : 


him,    and    said    unto    the 
first: 

"  How  much  owest  thou 
unto  my  lord?" 

And  he  said : 

"An  hundred  measures 
of  oil." 

And     he     said     unto 
him: 

'Take  thy  bill,  and  sit 

166 


down   quickly,   and   write 
fifty." 

Then    said    he    to    an- 
other: 

And  how  much  owest 
thou?" 

And  he  said: 

An  hundred  measures 
of  wheat." 

And  he  said  unto  him : 


/fp 


'Take  thy  bill,  and 
write  fourscore.** 

And  the  lord  com- 
mended the  unjust  stew- 
because  he  had  done 


THE  UNJUST  JUDGE 


1 


THE  UNJUST  JUDGE 

HERE  was  in  a 
I  city  a  judge, 
which  feared 
not  God,  nei- 
ther regarded  man.  And 
there  was  a  widow  in  that 


city;   and  she   came   unto 
him,  saying: 


Avenge   me   of   mine 


adversary." 

And  he  would  not  for  a 
while:  but  afterward  he 
said  within  himself : 

'  Though  I  fear  not  God, 
nor  regard  man;  yet  be- 
cause this  widow  troubleth 


me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest 
by  her  continued  coming 
she  weary  me.'* 

And  the  Lord  said : 
"  Hear  what  the  unjust 
judge  saith.  And  shall  not 
God  avenge  his  own  elect, 
which  cry  day  and  night 
unto  him,  though  he  bear 
long  with  them  ?  1  tell  you 


173 


that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily.  Nevertheless 
when  the  Son  of  man 
cometh,  shall  he  find  faith 
on  the  earth?*' 


1 


THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD 


THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD 


VS  ' 


shall  any  pluck  them  out 
of  my  hand.  My  Father, 
which  gave  them  me,  is 
greater  than  all :  and  none 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of 
my  Father's  hand.  I  and 
my  Father  are  one. 


THE  LOST  SHEEP 


THE   LOST  SHEEP 


HAT  man  of  you, 

WJ 
having  an  hun- 


aving  an 
dred  sheep,  if 
he  lose  one  of 


them,  doth   not   leave  the 
ninety    and    nine    in    the 


wilderness,  and  go  after 
that  which  is  lost,  until 
he  find  it?  And  when 
he  hath  found  it,  he  lay- 
eth  it  on  his  shoulders,  re- 
joicing. 

And  when  he  cometh 
home,  he  calleth  together 
his  friends  and  neighbours, 
saying  unto  them : 


I 


"'I  have  found  my  sheep  which  was  lost.'" 


"Rejoice  with  me;  for 
I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost.' 


THE  LIGHT  OF  THE 
WORLD 


THE  LIGHT  OF  THE 
WORLD 

E  are  the  light 
I  of  the  world. 
A  city  that  is 
set  on  an  hill 
cannot  be  hid.  Neither  do 
men  light  a  candle,  and  put 
it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a 


THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD 


candlestick;  and  it  giveth 
light  unto  all  that  are  in 
the  house. 


.- 


.EHOLD  the  fig  tree 
B  and  all  the 
trees.  When 
they  now  shoot 
forth,  ye  see  and  know  of 
your  own  selves  that  sum- 
mer is  now  nigh  at  hand. 


DEC  0  9  1985 


University  of  California 

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